The Drifter

by Nicholas Petrie

            In his first novel, Petrie has created an interesting protagonist in Peter Ash, a veteran suffering from PTSA that manifests itself in extreme claustrophobia. His solution; live outdoors in the wilderness. When Ash receives word that his friend and former sergeant Jimmy has committed suicide, he feels that he has somehow failed his friend. He should have visited, called. Ash’s solution to his guilt is a visit to Jimmy’s widow offering to help with home repairs. When Ash finds a suitcase filled with money and C4 under the porch he is repairing, he wonders just what his old friend was involved in. When Ash traces his friend’s last days, he finds that all is not as it appears, and finding out the truth just may get him killed.

            Billed as a thriller, this book does not quite live up to that. It is, instead, an excellent character driven book with plenty of suspense. This is not a page turner kind of book. However, it is a very good first book with excellent character development.  I will be looking for more from this author in the future.

            Borrow this book from your local library and watch for more from this author.

Disclaimer: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.